WO2018036708A1

WO2018036708A1 - Gateway and method for connecting a data source system to an it system

Info

Publication number: WO2018036708A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/066911
Authority: WO
Inventors: Simon Kuebler; Steffen Muench; Holger Schnabel
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh
Priority date: 2016-08-23
Filing date: 2017-07-06
Publication date: 2018-03-01
Also published as: US10805116B2; DE102016215742A1; US20190215192A1; CN109565526B; CN109565526A

Abstract

The invention relates to a gateway (300) for connecting a data source system to an IT system, having real-time capable middleware (320) and non-real-time capable middleware (350) on a common operating system (302), wherein an application for communicating via a network protocol is executed on the non-real-time capable middleware (350) and the non-real-time capable middleware (350) comprises a framework, at least one hardware interface, via which the data source system can be connected to the real-time capable middleware (320), at least one hardware interface, via which the IT system can be connected to the non-real-time capable middleware (350), and a software interface (380), which is configured to allow communication between the real-time capable middleware (320) and the non-real-time capable middleware (350), and wherein the gateway is configured to provide, via the framework, predefined software interfaces for individual components of the data source system, which components can be connected to the real-time capable middleware (320), or for components of the IT system. The invention also relates to a method for connecting a data source system to an IT system.

Description

Gateway and method for connecting a data source system to an IT system

description

The present invention is in the field of networking machines and relates to a gateway and method for interfacing a data source system to an IT system.

State of the art

When it comes to the networking of machines, for example in the field of automation technology, the term "Industry 4.0" is now common. This includes the networking of machines or systems and in particular their connection to the Internet or the Internet of Things (so-called loT, "Internet of Things"). From EP 2 302 473 Bl, for example, a connection of an industrial system to the Internet is known.

The machines or systems themselves can be integrated into control systems with which an automated sequence can be made possible. In a control system, a PLC, i. a programmable logic controller, provided, which can control appropriate processes.

From DE 10 2013 218 566 AI, for example, a communication module is known, which allows a connection to a fieldbus, as used in control systems, and provides a user interface for an operator.

From DE 10 2011 005 062 AI, for example, a so-called field access unit is known, which enables a connection of field devices, which are arranged on a fieldbus, to a server. From DE 10 2012 003 370 AI, for example, an adapter for a fieldbus, here Profinet, known, which can be connected via a microprocessor interface to an industrial PC and provides data interfaces on the one hand for real-time data and on the other hand for non-real-time data.

In the case of newer machines or systems, a corresponding connection or the mechanisms required for this, such as, for example, an Ethernet connection and a variable provision of the relevant machine data, are usually already provided. However, the lifecycle of an entire manufacturing plant is usually between 10 and 40 years. This means that many such plants or machines that are currently in operation are not networkable.

It is therefore desirable to provide a means of interfacing, in particular also of subsequently connecting, a data source system, such as e.g. a control system or a machine, to an IT system, in particular the Internet or an intranet.

Disclosure of the invention

According to the invention, a gateway and a method for connecting a data source system to an IT system having a number of networked computing units with the features of the independent patent claims are proposed. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description.

In the context of the invention, a gateway is used to connect a data source system, for example a control system or a machine, to an IT system. For this purpose, the gateway has a real-time capable middleware and a non-real-time capable middleware on a common operating system. In this case, an application for communicating via a network protocol, for example TCP / IP, OPC-UA or http (s), is executed on the non-real-time-capable middleware, and the non-real-time-capable middleware comprises a framework. Real-time capability means that individual computation steps are completed within defined time periods. In real-time environments it can be guaranteed that a calculation result is available on time, so that in particular in industrial machines, the movements of different aggregates also run synchronously. Depending on the intended use, the type of operating system can be selected, but for example, Linux is useful as an operating system, especially in the field of industrial IT systems. Furthermore, the gateway has at least one hardware interface, via which the data source system can be connected to the real-time-capable middleware (also referred to as service layer or intermediate application) of the gateway, and at least one hardware interface, via which the IT system can be connected to the non-real-time-capable middleware , These interfaces may be typical interfaces used for each area. For example, interfaces for sensors, such as analog and digital interfaces or special sensor interfaces such as SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), IO-Link or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and for a fieldbus, for example Ethernet (so-called Industrial Ethernet), in question. Real-time capable Ethernet-based fieldbuses are listed, for example, in the standard I EC 61784-2. Also conceivable are USB or wireless interfaces, such as Bluetooth or W-LAN. For example, Ethernet, USB or wireless interfaces such as Bluetooth or W-LAN come into question for the connection of the IT system, which is, for example, a server or a cloud connected to the Internet. Furthermore, a software interface is provided which is set up to enable communication between the real-time capable middleware and the non-real-time capable middleware. This interface allows for an exchange between the two middlewares that exist on the operating system and run side-by-side in parallel.

In addition, the gateway is or will be set up to provide predefined soft-software interfaces for individual components of the data source system that can be connected to the real-time capable middleware or for components of the IT system.

In particular, the framework can be a software core framework. In this way, various components of the data source system, such as sensors, can be very easily connected. In this case, for example, suitable drivers for the components can be provided. Likewise, various components of the IT system such as servers or other services can be provided very easily and quickly. The non-real-time capable middleware can be used to provide services or data transports for all components that can be connected to the gateway. The invention aims at data source systems having at least one data source, such as a computing unit (eg programmable logic controller (PLC), numerical control (NC) or CNC (Computerized Numerical Control)) or a sensor, in particular already existing, particularly simple To make way "internet-enabled". It is a scalable approach to retrofitting existing machines without programming using only web-based configuration. The solution offers modular expandability with additional sensors, logic and providers and automatic provision of the associated web-based interfaces.

For the real-time capable middleware, it is also expedient if an application for communicating via fieldbus is executed thereon and / or if it comprises PLC functionalities, in particular the execution of the so-called scan cycle comprising input scan, program scan and output scan. For this purpose, the real-time capable middleware may include a firmware and a suitable platform, for example for motion control applications or machine tool applications (NC control). A platform, sometimes referred to as layer or level, denotes a uniform basis in computer science on which application programs can be executed and developed. It is located between two components of a computer system. The component underneath is not visible to the component that uses the platform. Therefore, the same component can be operated via a platform on different "substrates" (here firmware). Preferably, the platform provides functions for motion logic applications or for machine tool controllers. Thus, the best possible connection and communication with the data source system can be achieved. In addition, certain (or even all) functions for controlling the data source system can be taken over directly in the gateway instead of in a separate PLC. This allows the gateway to be used as a PLC for the data source system and no additional PLC is required. In this case, it is advantageous if the gateway is generated on a computing unit present in the data source system, in particular already a PLC. While necessary hardware interfaces to the data source system are generally already available, necessary hardware interfaces for the IT system can generally be provided very simply. Now only the operating system with the mentioned middlewares and the hardware interface has to be applied to the arithmetic unit. An existing data source system can easily be subsequently connected to the IT system. However, it is also advantageous if an existing PLC of the data source system is connected via the gateway as an additional component to the data source system. This allows a simple subsequent connection, without changing an already existing data source system. In this case, PLC functionalities do not have to be present on the gateway, but may additionally be provided in order to connect any further components for the data source system directly to the gateway.

In the case of completely new data source systems, the gateway can also be used as a PLC from the very beginning so that an initial connection of the data source system to the IT system can be provided.

For non-real-time capable middleware, it is useful if it is Java-based, i. For example, if it includes a Java-based virtual machine. This allows a particularly simple handling and configuration. Furthermore, the Java-based virtual machine provides platform independence, allowing the non-real-time capable middleware to run on different hardware platforms. Furthermore, the Java-based virtual machine offers the possibility of being able to execute simple loT mechanisms on a controller, since the majority of ΙοΤ applications are implemented in Java.

In addition, it is also particularly advantageous if the gateway is also set up or is set up to provide a web-based configuration option for the connection of the individual components, in particular by executing a web server application. This eliminates the need for programming and allows new components to be connected quickly, easily and without programming knowledge. Corresponding configuration dialogs can then be displayed on a screen, for example, when a component with corresponding attributes is connected.

Advantageously, the gateway is or is additionally set up to transmit data via the non-real-time capable middleware to a plurality of individual components of the IT system and / or to provide data for the several individual components of the IT system. Thus, a client functionality or a server functionality can be provided with the gateway. The IT system can also handle many different compo- such as various servers and / or clouds that can be served simultaneously.

In the context of the invention, it is thus possible, on the one hand, to connect existing data source systems, without connection to an IT system, to an IT system very simply and, on the other hand, to connect new data source systems to an IT system in a very simple and retrofittable manner. In particular, a modular retrofitting or integration of other components is very easy and fast. The provision in the form of a computer program is also advantageous, since this causes particularly low costs, in particular if, as mentioned, an arithmetic unit or SPS is present anyway. Suitable data carriers for providing the computer program are in particular magnetic, optical and electrical memories, such as e.g. Hard drives, flash memory, EEPROMs, DVDs, etc. It is also possible to download a program via computer networks (Internet, Intranet, etc.).

Further advantages and embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings. It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the particular combination indicated, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention. The invention is illustrated schematically by means of exemplary embodiments in the drawing and will be described in detail below with reference to the drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 a shows schematically an arrangement with use of a device according to the invention

Gateways in a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 1b schematically shows an arrangement with use of a device according to the invention

Gateways in a further preferred embodiment. Figure 2 shows schematically an architecture of a gateway according to the invention in a preferred embodiment. FIG. 3 schematically shows a software structure of the internet-capable portion of a gateway according to the invention in a preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 a schematically illustrates an arrangement using a gateway 300 according to the invention in a preferred embodiment. By means of the gateway 300, a data source system 100, for example a control system or a machine, a manual workstation or test station, is connected to an IT system 200 having a number of networked computing units, for example an intranet or the Internet. In particular, the networking of the processing units based on TCP / IP as a network protocol.

The control system 100 here comprises, by way of example, a machine 110 with three data sources, namely two sensors 115, 116 and a PLC 150 for controlling the data source system 100. The data source system 100 can be, for example, an automation system in the context of a production process or a single machine act. It is understood that other sensors and / or actuators may be provided. If an existing machine, system, etc. are to be made "internet-capable" by means of the gateway, which does not yet have any data sources, it is possible in particular to use sensors and possibly arithmetic units and to connect them to the gateway.

The IT system 200, which is coordinated with the control system 100, can be, for example, one or more servers and / or cloud services. There, data and / or applications can be stored. Likewise, from there corresponding data and / or applications can be obtained. The gateway 300 now forms the PLC by being generated on the existing PLC 150, for example, accordingly. For this purpose, the hardware of the PLC or, for example, also an industrial PC, if one is used for control, can be used, to which a software is applied, as will be described below.

The gateway 300 may now collect machine states of the machine 110 as data by means of the sensors 115, 116. The data can be processed via a logic layer on the gateway 300. The data can then be forwarded to the IT system 200. Incidentally, the gateway 300 can also take over further PLC functionalities, so that the originally existing PLC is replaced by the gateway. The sensors can still be connected via conventional methods such as digital and analogue connection, but also modern Industrie 4.0 solutions such as I / O-Link, Bluetooth Low Energy and USB are conceivable. Likewise, the sensors can be connected via a fieldbus, which enables real-time capability.

Via the Gatway 300 formed on the SPS 150, data source systems without an original connection to an IT system (so-called brownfield) can thus be connected to an IT system without changing the existing automation solution. Such existing systems can therefore be retrofitted with the proposed solution.

Likewise, however, new data source systems to be installed (so-called greenfield), which are constructed as shown in Figure la, can be constructed, with the gateway 300 is used from the beginning as a PLC.

The configuration of the gateway with regard to the existing components in the data source system or in the IT system can be done by means of web-based configuration without programming, whereby a so-called "Plug & Produce" can be achieved and commissioning times can be minimized.

FIG. 1b schematically shows an arrangement with the use of a gateway 300 'according to the invention in a further preferred embodiment. As also shown in FIG. 1 a, the control system 100 is connected to the IT system 200 here. Here, however, the gateway is not formed on the PLC, but provided as a separate component, here as a gateway 300 '. In this case, for example, no PLC functionalities have to be provided on the gateway 300 ', but it may be sufficient to connect the PLC via a fieldbus.

FIG. 2 schematically shows an architecture of a gateway according to the invention in a preferred embodiment. The lowest level of the gateway 300 in this case forms a hardware 301. This may be, for example, the hardware of a standard industrial PC or even that of a PLC.

On the hardware 301 runs an operating system 320. Preferred for loT solutions as here is in particular Linux as the operating system. On the left side is now a real-time portion 320 to see, running on the operating system 302 and includes the typical PLC world with firmware 321 and a platform 322 as a real-time middleware. Here then typical PLC functionalities such as a control program 330, a machine communication protocol 331, for example OPC UA or the like, input and output functions (I / O) 332 and field bus functions 333 are provided as applications, so that corresponding components can be connected. In parallel, on the operating system 302, a non-real-time portion 350 runs, seen on the right, that includes the typical world of ΙοΤ with a Java-based virtual machine 351 and an OSGi framework 352 as non-real-time middleware. Typical ΙοΤ applications can then be used on this platform. Among other things, this may include, for example, cloud connections 363, data processing and other loT services 362. In addition, a Bluetooth functionality 360 and a USB functionality 361 are shown by way of example as an application.

Via a software interface 380, which is preferably a programming interface for high-level language programming, all control functionalities from the non-real-time capable middleware 350 (Java environment) can be called up and controlled. Thus, the real-time-capable portion or the real-time-capable middleware 320 and the non-real-time-capable portion or the non-real-time-capable middleware 350 can now communicate with one another or with one another. This means that deterministic real-time data is collected by sensors, transferred to the ΙοΤ world via the software interface 380 and sent to an IT System can be passed. With 390 and 391, two applications are now shown by way of example, which can run on the gateway 300 in order to enable a user, for example, a simple and fast connection or configuration of new sensors or other services.

The software interface 380 may in particular be a so-called MLPI, a "motion logic programming interface". This is a programming interface for high-level languages such as C / C ++, C #, VBA, Java or LabVIEW. This can be used to write applications that can be used, for example, to configure Bosch Rexroth controllers (IndraMotion XLC, MLC 13VRS). A mlpi4Java toolbox surrounds the mlpi core functionality as object-oriented Java classes using a native Java NDK library. The use of mlpi4Java allows to call MLPI functions from the Java Runtime environment. Applications using the mlpi4Java toolbox only run on the Java Runtime environment on Windows and Android and therefore not on the target controller.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a software structure of the non-real-time-capable component 350 of a gateway according to the invention in a preferred embodiment. The non-real-time-capable component 350 in this case comprises a core framework 400 which offers firmly defined soft-software interfaces 401, 402, 403 and 404 via which user-defined functions can be added to a plug-in structure 450, here for example, a sensor function 451 with a driver 453 and attributes 452, a logic 460, a data provider 470 and a web application 480. For example, via the sensor function 451, data from a sensor 115 can be received via the aforementioned software interface the logic 460 processed and transmitted via the data provider 470 to the IT system 200.

Core framework 400 accordingly provides services 410 for sensors, services 420 for the logic, and services 430 for data providers. Thus, the entire data transport within the OSGi framework or the non-real-time portion of the sensor driver up to the provision for the provider can be handled. Furthermore, the corresponding web portions 441, 442, 443 and 444, collectively referred to as 440, are also contained in the core framework 400. Via corresponding configuration steps 411, 421 and 431, the services can thus be configured. The core framework 400 offers, as mentioned, firmly defined software interfaces to which any providers, sensors and logics can dock. If the docked elements contain the corresponding attributes, the corresponding web-based interfaces, which are needed, for example, for configuring a sensor, are also displayed directly. Furthermore, several providers can be operated in parallel, ie data can be sent to several components of the IT system in parallel (client functionality) or provided in parallel for several components (server functionality).

Claims

claims

1. Gateway (300, 300 ') for connecting a data source system (100) to an IT system (200) comprising a plurality of networked computing units, having a real-time capable middleware (320) and a non-real-time capable middleware (350) on a common operating system ( 302), wherein an application for communicating over a network protocol is executed on the non-real-time capable middleware (350) and the non-real-time capable middleware (350) comprises a framework (400), at least one hardware interface, through which the data source system (100) the real-time capable middleware (320) is attachable to at least one hardware interface via which the IT system (200) is connectable to the non-real-time capable middleware (350), a software interface (380) adapted to communicate between the real-time capable Middleware (320) and non-real-time capable middleware (350), the gateway being set up via the Fra mework (400) predefined software interfaces (401, 402, 403, 404) for individual components (115, 116) of the data source system (100) connectable to the real-time capable middleware (320) or for components of the IT system (200) provide.

2. Gateway (300, 300 ') according to claim 1, wherein on the real-time capable middleware (320) an application for communicating via fieldbus is executed and / or wherein the real-time capable middleware (320) PLC functionalities (330, 331, 332, 333 ).

The gateway (300, 300 ') of claim 1 or 2, wherein the non-real-time capable middle (350) is Java-based.

4. Gateway (300, 300 ') according to any one of the preceding claims, further adapted to provide a web-based configuration option (480) for the connection of the individual components.

5. The gateway (300, 300 ') of claim 1, further configured to transmit data to a plurality of individual components of the IT system (200) via the non-real-time capable middleware (350) and / or data for the plurality of individual ones Components of the IT system (200).

6. A method for connecting a data source system (100) to an IT system (200) by means of a gateway (300, 300 ') according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the data source system (100) to the real-time capable middleware (320) of the gateway (300, 300 ') and the IT system (200) are connected to the non-real-time capable middleware (350) of the gateway (300, 300').

A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gateway (300, 300 ') is used as a PLC for the data source system (320).

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein by means of the gateway (300 '), a PLC (150) of the data source system (100) is connected to the IT system (200).

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gateway (300) on a computing unit of the data source system (100), in particular a PLC (150), is generated, or wherein the computing unit, in particular the PLC (150), through the gateway ( 300) is replaced.

A computer program that causes a computing unit to provide a gateway (300, 300 ') according to any one of claims 1 to 5 when executed on the computing unit.

11. A machine-readable storage medium with a computer program stored thereon according to claim 10.